Hi-Rez ? WiiM Pro Plus -> Cambridge CXA80

[Newzpix]

I'm setting up a 2-ch system for grad school daughter. Rega turntable & Rega CD transport into Cambridge CXA80 and Qobuz into WiiM Pro Plus into the amp.

Using Qobus into the Wiim app -> WiiM Chromecast -> Cambridge CXA80 rca line-in with Nordost Blue Heavens to use the Wim DAC. I've tried the coaxial and optical as well.

My concern is getting the hi-rez signal to the Cambridge am I doing it correctly,

I tried Tidal it sounded thin and bright. Qobuz sounds better but needs EQ in WiiM app.

Overall the sound is inferior to using the Rega CD transposed.

 

[harkpabst]

Using Qobus into the Wiim app -> WiiM Chromecast ->

Qobus via the WiiM Home App or Qobuz playing through ChromeCast?

You can't have both at the same time.

 

[Newzpix]

Then explain how to achieve best signal

 

[harkpabst]

Then explain how to achieve best signal

I've been asking a question only you can answer ...

 

[Newzpix]

well, as my initial post states, I don't know what I should do.

 

[Newzpix]

We are playing Qobus within the WiiM app with Chromecast enabled on an IPhone

 

[MCG555]

Not sure what you mean. Why not triying the most obvious and easiest first?
Qobus via Wiim App / Wiim Pro+ > line out > Amp?
This must sound good!

Ps: someone here expressed thought that Qobuz sounds thin. However I don‘t use it, so I cannot comment … I use Spotify in this way (none hi-res of course) and it sounds excellent!

 

[harkpabst]

We are playing Qobus within the WiiM app with Chromecast enabled on an IPhone

When you use Qobuz from within the WiiM Home App (WHA) then it makes no difference if Google Cast is enabled on the Pro Plus or if the Google Home app is installed on the iPhone. WHA talks to Qobuz directly through their Application Programming Interface (API), which means that you don't need the Qobuz app at all. WHA talks to the WiiM Pro Plus using WiiM's own proprietary protocol.
=> ChomeCast/Google Cast is not used.

This way should be absolutely fine for any HiRes content. Only if you are missing features of the Qobuz app and prefer to use it instead of WHA you would need something like Google Cast or Bluetooth or AirPlay 2 to connect the Qobuz app with the WiiM Pro Plus.

I have no idea why Tidal sounded thin in this setup, normally it doesn't. If Qobuz still needs EQ compared to CD replay it looks like something is not quite right. There shouldn't be a big difference, except when the streaming services are using a different master than the CD.

Have you set the Pro Plus to fixed output volume? This should be the preferred way since you are feeding its analogue output into an integrated Amp, providing the volume control.

Depending on the input sensitivity of the line input on the CXA80 you might try different output voltage settings on the Pro Plus. Technically, 2 V should be best, unless this might overdrive the input, so trying the next lower setting might be worth a try.

Just for reference and comparison you could enable the Radio Paradise "music service" in the WiiM Home App and play one of their streams. They are all in top notch lossless FLAC quality and should sound very good.

 

[Kampernaut]

Qobuz streamed directly by my Pro+ sounds very good and equivalent to the other uncompressed streaming services I've tried.

I found the interface to the music in the WiiM Home app a bit awkward compared to the iOS Qobuz app, but the sound was great.

 

[Burnside]

WHA talks to the WiiM Pro Plus using WiiM's own proprietary protocol.

I’d guess in this case that the WiiM home app only communicates with your WiiM device for configuration as it’ll use the Qobuz api to ask Qobuz’s servers to deliver a requested stream direct to your WiiM device without the app itself being further involved.
Where WiiM’s proprietary protocol will be used in the delivery of a stream is where your phone/app is playing local files directly to your WiiM device.

 

[alpha_zulu]

Qobuz streamed directly by my Pro+ sounds very good and equivalent to the other uncompressed streaming services I've tried.

I found the interface to the music in the WiiM Home app a bit awkward compared to the iOS Qobuz app, but the sound was great.

+1

 

[harkpabst]

I’d guess in this case that the WiiM home app only communicates with your WiiM device for configuration as it’ll use the Qobuz api to ask Qobuz’s servers to deliver a requested stream direct to your WiiM device without the app itself being further involved.
Where WiiM’s proprietary protocol will be used in the delivery of a stream is where your phone/app is playing local files directly to your WiiM device.

Yes, that's what I meant to say. The data stream does not pass through the phone.

 

[Newzpix]

When you use Qobuz from within the WiiM Home App (WHA) then it makes no difference if Google Cast is enabled on the Pro Plus or if the Google Home app is installed on the iPhone. WHA talks to Qobuz directly through their Application Programming Interface (API), which means that you don't need the Qobuz app at all. WHA talks to the WiiM Pro Plus using WiiM's own proprietary protocol.
=> ChomeCast/Google Cast is not used.

___________

I've read in these forums that streaming from the iPhone using Airplay is limited resolution. Streaming via Chromecast results in maximum resolution.

Depending on the input sensitivity of the line input on the CXA80 you might try different output voltage settings on the Pro Plus. Technically, 2 V should be best, unless this might overdrive the input, so trying the next lower setting might be worth a try.

How do I adjust the output voltage?

Thanks

 

[Newzpix]

How do I adjust the output voltage?

Thanks

Found it

 

[harkpabst]

I've read in these forums that streaming from the iPhone using Airplay is limited resolution. Streaming via Chromecast results in maximum resolution.

The main problem with AirPlay 2 is not so much the maximum resolution of 16 bit 44.1 kHz but that it's using lossy AAC coding in many cases.